Application developer and method for generating platform independent code

Abstract

A method for developing platform independent applications comprises integrating an interface into a software development platform, receiving an input indicative of a desired mobile-device type designated to receive an application responsive to the platform independent code, enabling a user to develop an instruction set via the interface, generating a set of platform independent files responsive to the mobile-device type and the instruction set, forwarding the set of platform independent files to a device translator, and generating a device-specific application responsive to the mobile-device type and the platform independent files. A computing device exposes the functions of a software development platform, generates a representation of a set of instructions designated for execution on a mobile device, and transforms the representation. The mobile device receives a device independent representation of an application program designated for operation on the mobile device along with an application program.

1 . A method for developing platform independent code, comprising: 
 integrating an interface into a software development platform;    receiving an input indicative of a first developer desired mobile-device type designated to receive an application responsive to a platform independent code, the mobile-device type identifying an operator interface on the mobile device;    enabling a user to develop an instruction set via the interface and the software development platform;    generating a set of platform independent files responsive to the operator interface and the instruction set;    forwarding the set of platform independent files to a device translator configured to identify configuration options and native code responsive to the mobile-device type; and    forwarding the configuration options, native code, and platform independent files to a first device-specific packager to generate a device-specific application responsive to the mobile-device type and the platform independent files.    
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein integrating an interface comprises adding a plug-in that exposes the functionality of a software development platform to a developer of an application suited for execution on the desired mobile device.  
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein receiving an input comprises an indicator associated with at least one of a personal digital assistant, a phone, a media player, and a pager.  
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein receiving an input comprises defining a mobile-device specific operator interface.  
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein receiving an input comprises defining a mobile-device specific operating system.  
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein enabling a user to develop an instruction set comprises providing a user-selectable mode.  
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the user-selectable mode comprises bifurcating mobile-device specific interface logic from other logic.  
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein generating a set of platform independent files comprises producing at least one of a resource string file, a resource property pool file, a reference file, and a code file.  
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein forwarding the set of platform independent files comprises communicating the set with an executable specific to the operating system used on the first developer desired mobile-device type.  
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein generating a device-specific application comprises retaining data responsive to the set of platform independent files.  
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising: 
 selecting a second mobile-device type different from the first developer desired mobile-device type;    forwarding the data responsive to the set of platform independent files to a second device-specific packager; and    generating a device-specific application responsive to the second mobile-device type and the data responsive to the platform independent files.    
     
     
         12 . A mobile device, comprising: 
 means for executing a previously installed application comprising a virtual machine and runtime;    means for receiving a package comprising a device independent representation of an application program designated for operation on the mobile device with a mobile-device specific application program; and    means for controllably executing the mobile-device specific application program such that the device independent representation is forwarded to and executed by the previously installed application on the mobile device.    
     
     
         13 . The mobile device of  claim 12 , wherein the means for receiving comprises a communication interface.  
     
     
         14 . The mobile device of  claim 13 , wherein the means for receiving comprises a media interface.  
     
     
         15 . The mobile device of  claim 12 , wherein the means for receiving comprises a communication session with a data store.  
     
     
         16 . A computing device, comprising: 
 a processor;    a memory coupled to the processor having stored therein: 
 logic configured to expose the functions of a software development platform to a user of the computing device, wherein the logic is responsive to an intermediate language source and configuration options associated with a mobile device remote from the computing device;  
 logic configured to generate a virtual machine instruction format representation of a set of instructions designated for execution on the mobile device;  
 logic configured to transform the configuration options and virtual machine instruction format representation into a data portion and identify native code responsive to a mobile-device type; and  
 logic configured to package the data portion and the native code to generate a mobile-device specific application.  
   
     
     
         17 . The computing device of  claim 16 , wherein the logic configured to expose the functions of a software development platform comprises a plug-in.  
     
     
         18 . The computing device of  claim 16 , wherein the logic configured to generate a virtual machine instruction format produces a set of platform independent files.  
     
     
         19 . The computing device of  claim 16 , wherein the native code identified by the logic configured to transform the virtual machine instruction format is configured to locate a client application on a remote mobile device.  
     
     
         20 . The computing device of  claim 16 , wherein the logic configured to package the data portion and the native code is responsive to an operating system operable on a target mobile device.